Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue (SRFR) provides emergency medical services (EMS) to over 160,000 residents within our fire district covering over 135 square miles. Over 80% of our emergency calls are for EMS, and all of our response personnel are cross trained as either firefighter/paramedics or firefighter/EMT's. Our mission in the EMS Division is to continue to cultivate a culture of patient-centered care, to provide high-quality training, and to show respect for all, both inside and outside of the organization.
In 1981, the fire district brought Advanced Life Support (ALS) services to the residents of SRFR and to greater Snohomish County. The decision to add a paramedic program to the services we provide marked a significant commitment to improving the health of our community. Over the years, we have continued to serve the community by providing high-quality emergency medical services ranging from basic through advanced levels of care. In the fire service, ambulances used by paramedics are referred to as medic units. Currently, SRFR has three dedicated medic units, one in each battalion, as well as two additional cross-staffed units to bolster ALS services in outlying areas.
We continue to strive to provide the highest quality pre-hospital medical care to our community. In December of 2022, we introduced portable ultrasound imaging onto our Medical Services Officer (MSO) unit. Ultrasound allows paramedics to assess the forcefulness of the heart's contractions also known as cardiac contractility. This can help medics better care for patients experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The goal is to expand our use beyond cardiac arrests, and to equip each medic unit individually with portable ultrasound in 2025. We are grateful for the support of the public which, in turn, allows SRFR to continue to provide the highest quality of healthcare in the moments that matter the most.